


linger

by magicianprince



Category: Free!
Genre: Future Fic, M/M, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-23
Updated: 2013-12-23
Packaged: 2018-01-05 18:55:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1097459
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magicianprince/pseuds/magicianprince
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They'll probably be too old for these kinds of things soon. For now, though, they clamor and beg for Haru to take them to show Makoto their costumes. Haru loves them like he might love his own siblings if he had them, and so all three of them show up at Makoto's apartment door on Halloween night. Hopefully Makoto isn't too busy with his university work and will take it as a nice surprise.</p>
            </blockquote>





	linger

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lydiamartin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lydiamartin/gifts).



> i couldn't get all of the bonuses, but i hope this is enough! :)

Ran and Ren are immensely proud of their costumes--they'd enlisted Haru's help in creating the scariest monster costume and the most dashing prince costume in the world, and Haru had done his best to deliver. Ran _does_ look pretty fearsome, and even if the jewel on Ren's crown looks like it might need another coating of super glue to keep it on, he holds himself high. They'd wanted Makoto to be the princess, kidnapped by Ran and sought after by Ren, but Haru had pointed out that if they wanted to put Makoto in a dress then they'd probably have to make it themselves, since Makoto was so big.

"Well," Ran had announced, "he's a princess on the inside, and that's what counts. Do you want to be the wizard? Oh, wait, but if Nii-chan isn't wearing a costume, he shouldn't be the only one, right?"

"Haru can be a wizard on the inside," Ren had agreed knowingly.

They'll probably be too old for these kinds of things soon. For now, though, they clamor and beg for Haru to take them to show Makoto their costumes. Haru loves them like he might love his own siblings if he had them, and so all three of them show up at Makoto's apartment door on Halloween night. Hopefully Makoto isn't too busy with his university work and will take it as a nice surprise.

"Should we knock or ring the doorbell?" Ren whispers loudly, tugging at the collar of his costume. 

"Let's knock," Ran decides. "All three of us. Haru-chan, you count down, okay?"

Haru clears his throat obediently. "Three, two, one..."

They knock, and the stairwell is utterly silent for so long that Haru thinks that maybe Makoto isn't home after all. Finally, footsteps sound behind the door. It swings open smoothly and--

Makoto starts out with a practiced smile that melts into obvious shock once he sees the twins. He meets Haru's eyes and his mouth drops open even farther.

"Surprise!" Ran and Ren cheer, jumping forward into Makoto's arms with complete disregard for their costumes. 

Makoto catches them with what seems like muscle memory only but recovers quickly. "I thought you were trick-or-treaters," he laughs, and Haru tries to squash the ache in his chest that blooms in response to the open happiness on Makoto's face. "I mean, we don't usually get them around here, but who else could it have been?"

"You can still give us candy," Ren suggests. Ran nods enthusiastically.

Chuckling again, Makoto's green gaze progresses over all of them as if he can't decide who to beam a grin at. "Alright, alright. Haru, too."

Haru smiles slightly, expecting him to proceed to usher his three visitors inside, but instead, Makoto steps forward and sweeps Haru into a tight embrace, pressing his face into Haru's hair, and Haru forgets how to breathe.

"I missed you," Makoto murmurs, voice warm.

It's weird, not seeing Makoto every day. Haru's still not used to it. "Just come visit more often, then," he says quietly. The tip of his nose is pressing lightly into Makoto's collarbone. Before he can drum up the courage to wind his arms around Makoto's waist in return, Makoto releases him, moving on to pull the twins to his chest again, one arm for each. The ache in Haru's chest hurts even worse watching them; he doesn't really know what to do with all of his affection, and so he looks away, peering into Makoto's apartment. It's the third time that Ran and Ren have seen it, but it's the first time that Haru has.

Noticing him, Makoto stands up quickly. "Oh--I'm sorry, I should probably invite you in. Do you three want anything to eat?" He closes the door carefully once everyone is inside, turning and leading them farther in.

"Nope! Haru-chan got us food earlier," Ran tells him.

"What are you doing for Halloween?" Ren asks eagerly.

Makoto's apartment is small, but just enough for one person. Haru hopes that he doesn't get too lonely. Haru's lived by himself for years, but Makoto's house has always been full. The apartment has a kitchen, a bathroom, and one more room, where it seems like Makoto sleeps and works in. The desk in the corner is stacked high with books and papers. Makoto glances towards them and clears his throat.

"Not much," he says. "I had some work that I could do, so..." Seeing that both Ren and Ran are opening their mouths to protest, he changes the subject smoothly. "Did Haru help you with your costumes, by the way? They look great!"

"Yeah! Haru-chan's really good at this kind of thing, you know!" Ren informs him.

"You look very handsome, Ren," Makoto replies sincerely, arranging some papers into a neater stack. "And you look terrifying, Ran! Are you sure those aren't your real teeth?"

Ran grins widely, showing them off. The teeth are plastic, and she'd been complaining about how nasty they tasted, but in the face of her older brother's praise she doesn't seem to mind much anymore.

"Grrr," she says.

Makoto smiles and glances over at Haru. Eyes lighting up, he straightens his shoulders. "Oh! Before I forget, I have presents for you guys. I was going to mail them, but that would be sort of pointless since you're all here now, right?"

Ran goes through interests very quickly; last month had been horseback riding, made difficult by the fact that there aren't many horses in Iwatobi, and this month is astronomy. Makoto gives her a stack of books about constellations and star signs and other things that Haru's never held much of an interest in, but that he knows Ran will definitely enjoy. Ren has been pestering Coach Sasabe to take him out on his boat--he receives a bright orange life jacket and a small fishing pole. The looks on both of their faces shine with pleasure. 

Haru doesn't think that he's included, but once again, Makoto surprises him by handing him a small box. He looks embarrassed for some reason. Haru's breath catches in his throat for the second time.

He takes the box from Makoto's hands, a muted snap sounding as he opens it up. There's a gleaming silver necklace inside. It doesn't look cheap, and Haru examines the orca pendant on the end of it silently, gaze instantly finding the green gem that serves as the orca's eye. It's something special without being flashy, something Haru can keep with him without drawing attention.

"This way, I can be with you all the time," Makoto murmurs.

Something in Haru's stomach quivers. He doesn't know if Makoto went out and bought this with him in mind, or if he just happened to pass by it and thought about Haru, but he's touched. Looking up in order to thank Makoto, Haru opens his mouth and--

His cell phone rings. 

The piercing noise startles him so much that he almost drops the box, but Makoto's large hands are quickly covering his own, steadying them. Haru makes a soft, involuntary sound. He waits for Makoto to pull away, waits...but Makoto doesn't, just stares down at their joined hands with a helpless look on his face. Haru can hear Ran and Ren arguing in the background over whose presents are better. Makoto still doesn't move. Haru's loved him for so long that it's probably wishful thinking, to assume that maybe Makoto is lingering for the same reasons that he is. His phone chirps again. Haru takes a deep breath and removes his palms from underneath Makoto's, holding the box with the necklace in one hand and answering his phone with the other. 

"Hello?" he says.

Makoto hesitates and then steps towards Ren and Ran, intending to help pacify the pair of them. Haru doesn't usually keep his phone on him (even after graduating) for a reason. It always chooses the worst moments to go off.

"Hey," Rin replies on the other end. "You all get to Makoto's okay?"

Rin is on his own training for the Olympics today, since Haru had taken the twins to go see their older brother. Haru usually teaches swim lessons at the new community center but Rin calls him over for races often. Haru hopes that it's helpful, even if it's tiring sometimes. "We're fine," Haru assures him.

"So? How is he?"

"Good. He got us all presents," Haru adds.

"Eh? Let me guess, he still hasn't bought you a ring yet."

"No, it was a necklace," says Haru, trying to keep the irritated confusion out of his voice. Rin makes remarks like that all the time. Haru wishes he would quit already. Just because he knows how Haru feels about Makoto doesn't mean he has to tease him about it so much.

Rin makes a choking noise that's audible even over the phone. "Are you serious?"

"What kind of joke would that be?" The twins and Makoto are looking over at him curiously now, the previous argument apparently forgotten. "Sorry, Rin, I should go."

"Fine," Rin says, sounding exasperated. "If you suddenly get knocked in the head and start actually seeing what's around you, text me or something so I can say I told you so. See ya."

He hangs up before Haru can come up with a retort. Shoving his phone back into his pocket, Haru frowns. Rin could be right, but he could be wrong, too. and that's the thing. Haru hates uncertainty.

"It's late, and the twins don't have school tomorrow, so why don't you stay the night?" Makoto suggests after Haru turns his attention back to him and Ran and Ren.

"Can we really?" Ren gasps. 

Ran smacks him none too gently. "Shh, don't question it, he might reconsider and say no!"

"Ran, no hitting," Haru says at the same time Makoto does. They meet eyes and smile, sharing their amusement.

Makoto checks his watch. "It's a little late to start heading home, so...ah, but I only have one futon, even if it's bigger than average..."

"That's fine!" Ran says as fast as she can. Ren nods emphatically.

While it _is_ late to be going home, it's also too early to be going to bed, and so the four of them huddle around Makoto's small TV and flip through the channels until they find a movie that they're all willing to watch. Ren and Ran have all but dozed off by the end of it. Makoto reaches for the remote and turns the television off. 

"Have Nagisa and Rei decided on a place to live yet?" he asks conversationally, hushed so that he doesn't disturb his siblings.

"Not yet," Haru replies, looking over to find Makoto smiling serenely at him. "Nagisa wants to be close, but Rei insists that they shouldn't intrude on your space."

Makoto laughs softly. "It's not like I own the city."

"Yeah," Haru says. It'd be nice to live close to Makoto again, he thinks. 

The two of them sit in comfortable silence. Finally, Makoto speaks up. "Help me set out the futon?"

Ran and Ren are shaken carefully awake. As everyone gets ready for bed, it feels kind of like how sleepovers at the Tachibana household used to feel, when Makoto still lived there. It makes Haru feel achingly lonely even though it shouldn't. The four of them pile onto Makoto's single futon. It's undeniably too cramped and hot with Ren and Ran practically on top of both Haru and Makoto, but it gives Haru a good excuse to press up close against Makoto's side. Uncomfortable or not, the twins are out within minutes.

Lulled by the feeling of Makoto's body rising and falling with each and every breath that he takes, Haru follows soon after.

:

Makoto finds a small box with a note taped to it at the bottom of the next care package his family sends him. _Save your money next time,_ it says. Makoto would recognize Haru's handwriting anywhere. Inside of the box is a silver chain with a dolphin pendant, a blue jewel at its eye. Grinning, Makoto sets it aside, not bothering to even try calming the butterflies in his stomach.

A photograph lined up against the side of the package catches his eye next. It's a picture of Haru, probably from one of the times he took the twins to the zoo. He's peering over with great interest at the otter enclosure. The picture is a little shaky, as if someone had snapped it quickly before running up to stop Haru from jumping in, but even so, the gleam of silver around Haru's neck is easily identifiable. Makoto resists the urge to hide his face with both hands. 

He allows himself a wistful sigh.

**Author's Note:**

> i've written so much makoharu for commissions and such lately i...i need nagisa/rei...i'm fading
> 
> i hope everyone is having a super relaxing or super exciting day today, no matter what you may or may not celebrate!


End file.
